Stay Warm In Simsbury, What You Need To Know

SIMSBURY, CT — Simsbury officials Thursday issued a bulletin about the upcoming short, but brutal, cold snap expected to bring dangerous conditions to folks when they go outside.

The State of Connecticut activated its severe cold weather protocol from noon Thursday, Feb. 2, through noon Sunday, Feb. 5, in anticipation of single-digit temperatures and double-digit below zero wind chills.

The Town of Simsbury and the Simsbury Department of Community and Social Services is reminding residents of the best practices to stay safe and warm.

"It is essential to stay warm and dry, and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure," wrote the town in an alert Thursday.
"If you have ceiling fans run them in the clockwise direction to push warm air back down to the floor; block drafts with pool noodles, towels, or blankets; and keep your thermostat set at a steady temperature.

" If you must be outside, dress warmly and be sure to cover your head and hands, and protect yourself from the elements as best as possible. Try to stay inside where it is warm and please check on elderly family members and neighbors, and never leave children or pets in an unattended vehicle."

Simsbury officials said residents should also be wary of other, sometimes overlooked, hazards of a cold snap. They include:

• Protecting your pipes from freezing.

It is recommended you keep your home heated at no lower than 55 degrees, leave cold water dripping from your faucets and open cupboards to allow heat to circulate around the pipes.

Locate your shut-off valves in case of emergency.

• Take caution while heating your home. If you plan to use a wood stove, fireplace, or space heater, be extremely careful.

Turning on the stove for heat is not safe and never use generators, gas or charcoal grills, camp stoves, or similar devices inside your home, in basements, in garages, or near windows.

The fumes are deadly.

Use fireplaces, wood stoves or other combustion heaters only if they are properly vented to the outside and do not leak gas from the flue or exhaust into the indoor air space

For those who need a warm place to shelter, there are some options in Simsbury.

The Simsbury Public Library, 725 Hopmeadow St., is open during normal business hours as a place to warm up. (Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.)

For further information, or if you or someone you know is at risk due to the extremely low temperatures, call the Simsbury Community and Social Services Department at 860-658-3283 between the hours of Monday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Should you or anyone you know be in need of shelter, call 211 at any time. For emergencies call 911.